upon this improvidence when changes happen which are grievous in themselves they become more grievous to us for want of preparation That which in its own nature is a misery is made a double misery to us when we are not prepared for it What discomfort will sickness bring when it cometh unlook'd for and when we have not prepared for it by searching our hearts casting up our accounts getting assured pardon of our sins at the hands of God when a sick body and a guilty conscience meet together there is a woful condition when a man shall lie down in his death bed with the guilt of all his sins lying upon him and pressing upon his Soul there is a grievous burthen and especially when death cometh and findeth him not regenerate findeth in him no other life but that which floweth from the union between the Soul and Body no new spiritual life issuing from an inseparable communion between Christ and him Oh how wiâ—l death insult over such a one how will the name the thought the visage of death dismay him when it meeteth him alone not joyned to Christ and entreth into a single combat with him not strengthened by an happy union with the Lord of life will it not tear him in pieces as a Lion might do a little Dog It is a double misery not to be aforehand with death not to be provided for this change 4. on the other side much ease much good much comfort followeth upon a timely foresight and wise preparation for such changes When a sad and sudden change was brought upon Hezekiah a sharp fit of sickness supposed to have been the Plague and a peremptory message from the Lord by the Prophet Set thine House in order for thou shalt die and not live Did it not wonderfully ease his burthen that he was so well prepared for this change and able to say his conscience bearing him witness 2 Kings 20. 3. I beseech thee O Lord remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and havâ— done that which is good in thy sight What a comfort will it be when thy health is turned into sickness thy strength into weakness when thou art fastened to thy bed and hast received in thy self the sentence of death if then thou findest thy self provided for this change A sweet comfort it shall be in old age when the Grashopper is a burden even the lightest thing it shall then ease that burden of years that makes thee stoop if thou didst in time foresee and provide for it turning to the Lord aforehand that so thy gray hairs may be found in the way of righteousness CHAP. III. Use 1. 1. THis may serve to reprove the great sensuality and security that is naturally among us that we look at things present and do not seriously take to heart such changes as may befall us A Comment upon Psal. 49. would be a fit enlargement of this use where the Psalmist discourseth excellently of this point both shewing the folly of men trusting to outward things as to certainties and declaring his own spiritual wisdom which God had taught him in preparing for any changes that might befall him First he calleth for attention for all sorts of men throughout the world Hear this all ye people give ear all ye Inhabitants of the world both low and high rich and poor together It concerneth all sorts nearly and all sorts are faulty therein and need to be stirred up by way of remembrance Then he doth very effectually seek to win attention by the excellency of the things which he is about to deliver My mouth shall speak of wisdom and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding such wisdom as many worldly wise men never learned yea he sheweth in the next verse that it is an hidden wisdom and as a parable to natural men for the most part Then he entreth upon his discourse and in the first place beginneth with himself ver 5. Wherefore should I fear in the daies of evil when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about as if he had said I do foresee changes and afflictions I look for assaults from Satan but I am armed against them through the mercy of God who hath pardoned my sins and therefore when such evils come and Satan shall seek to entangle my Conscience as in a snare as if these were sure arguments of God's hatred against me I will not fear I am prepared for these things Then on the other side in the next verse unto the fifteenth he goeth on at large declaring the folly and blindness of worldly-minded men c secure sinners in this case They that trust in their Wealth and boast themselves in the multitude of their Riches none of them can by any means redeem his Brother nor give to God a ransom for him They trust in outward things as if they were enduring substance and their hearts are lifted up with thoughts of their Wealth and Riches they think not seriously of changes to come they trust in their strength and healthy tempers in their Youth they rest their hearts in their present carnal contentments sinful pleasures c. as if these things should alwayes continue whereas they can neither rescue or ransom themselves or dearest friends from the power of death that he should live for ever and not see corruption For he seeth that wise men die likewise the fâ—ol and the brutish person shall perish and leave their wealth to others This sheweth their great sensuality and sottishnes that though they have daily experience of divorces separations made by death between men and their wealth their honours their pleasures and that they are forced to leave all and go naked out of the world yet they do not apply this and make it their own case but they go on even like to the brute beasts which when they see one of their own herd led away to the slaughter-house regard it not but delight as much as before in their fat pastures sitting themselves daily more and more for the same end So these though they see those that were framed of the same clay with themselves drop away and return to their dust yet they mind it not unless it be for a short fit but set their hearts upon these things as much as if they had never heard of any that had been taken away by death For their inward thought is that their Houses shall continue for ever c. The Spirit of God here looketh into the inside and rippeth open the bosomes of these earthly-minded persons and sheweth what thoughts and hopes they have even of perpetuities here on earth and so they love and strive for these things as if there were eternity in them as if they were everlasting things Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not he is like the beasts that perish Let him enjoy never so much of these things yet he abideth not there shall come a change
are secure and content themselves with present things they foresee not dangers miseries death destruction marching furiously towards them untill it be too late the poisoned shafts of death piercing through their hearts and cleaving the body and soul asunder But a Christian must be a watchman and still stand upon his watch-tower that he may descry changes and dangers afar off that he may see death riding post towards him on his paâ—e horse Revel 6. 8. and Hell following that he may betimes provide against it and may escape the sting of death laying hold on Christ and may escape the damnation of Hell Death hath many thousands by the throat ere ever they see it coming and arm themselves against it They use to say of such who when they first â—ell sick had the symptomes of death upon them that they were taken with death Beloved every one that death surpriseth before he be provided for it may well be said to be taken with death Death hath taken hold of all such and hath them within it's power But he that is aforehand with death and is a partaker of life in Christ cannot be taken with it but he hath death rather in his power and is a conquerour over death by the power of Christ. Others are taken unprovided they are taken sleeping in their sins when death driveth it's nail into their heads as Jael did into the head of Sisera Oh then be watchfull to foresee and provide for changes to come Sickness may be coming poverty may be coming general calamities may be at hand Wars may be marching furiously towards a Land the Angel may be coming with his destroying Sword The Arrows of Pestilence may 〈◊〉 now laid to the Bow and drawn to the heâ—â— and ready to fly abroad among us Darkneâ— may be coming the loss of the glorious Gospel of Christ may be at hand Anti-Christ may be coming Howsoever these things may fall out it is most certain that Death is a coming not many daies journey from each of our doors and perhaps even now ready 〈◊〉 knock at some of our gates None of 〈◊〉 know who shall be first visited by it and they that are not provided for it aforehand may assure themselves that Hell will follow Death close at the heels Oh then learn to 〈◊〉 daily that death may become familiar to you and not come as a stranger or an enemy or an Executioner when it doth come but rather as a friend to let your Souls out of this prison of the flesh that ye may enter into glory and blessedness SERMON VI. Eccles. â—2 1. nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them CHAP. I. IN this last Clause of the Verse the daies of Old Age are opposed unto the daies of Youth in these terms The years wherein 〈◊〉 shalt say I have no pleasure in them Hence I note Observ. That this short and mortal life may outlast the pleasures and all the contentments of this life This life is short yet as short as it is it many times is longer than the comforts of this life longer than the delights and pleasures of this world There 〈◊〉 be years within the compass of this shor◠〈◊〉 wherein a man shall find no pleasure 〈◊〉 shall be weary of himself Man is buâ— of short continuance the longest liver among men shall quickly go hence and yeâ— many a man and woman may and do out-live the comforts of their lives survive alâ— the pleasure and contentment that ever they had here below And if something remain wherein they can take delight yet it is so little in comparison of those things which they have lost that they think their good daies be gone and past They have lived to see the pleasures of life vanish away life smoak and do often look back with 〈◊〉 hearts upon the times wherein they enjoyed such and such things wherein it was thus and thus with them So it was with David he had been a victorious King and prosperâ—â— exceedingly in his wayes but in the latâ—â— part of his life his Daughter was deflowâ—â—â— by his Son and that Son killed by another Son when he was feasting the same Son rebelled against his Father defiled his Concubines sought his life and was slain in rebellion Then Sheba rebelleth and not long after David lieth bed-rid and no clothes could keep him warm 1 Kings 1. Wheâ—â— were now the pleasures of life might 〈◊〉 he very well have said of these last years 〈◊〉 his life I have no pleasure in them It is true he did comfort himself in God and in 〈◊〉 assured expectation of a better life but the pleasures of this life were gone and past and if he had been one of those that have hope only in this life what good had all the former pleasures of this life done him That which was verified of this good King was true also of one of his best Subjects viz. Barzillai the Gileadite who had so liberally supplied King David when he was forced to flee from Absalom The King would now have him to be his Guest at the Court and to live with him at Jerusalem But thus he answereth David 1 Kings 19. 35. I am this day fourscore years old and can I discern between good and evil Can I taste what I eat or what I drink Can I hear any more the voyce of singing men and singing women Wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burthen to my Lord the King The pleasures of this life are gone with me saith Barzillai I was wont I could relish my Meat and Drink now I cannot Musick now is no Musick to me I have out-lived the delights of this world Now if these men did out live the outward comforts and contentments of this life how much more do many wicked persons How was it with Saul He was preferred beyond his expectation before all the men of Israel He overcame the Ammonites and Philistines and was in a flourishing estate But for his sin the Lord blasted all the comforts of his life took away those gifts of his Spirit from him whereby he had fitted him for the Kingdom suffered an evil Spirit to vex and torment him gave him over to torment himself with envy and bitterness of spirit to vex himself with Davids success answereth him not in his distress leaveth him to consult with a Witch and thereupon to receive a sad answer and to hear his dooâ— which soon after was executed upon him Thus ye see in these examples how this shoâ— mortal life lasteth beyond the pleasures and comforts of this life We have also a notable example in this kind in King Jehoraâ— a wicked Son of a good Father He had a flourishing Kingdom left by his Father but after that he had slain his Brethren and wrought much wickedness the Kingdom of Edom revolted from him Ver. 9. 10. So did the City of Libnah He was severely threatned from Heaven Ver. 12 13 14 15.
A MEMENTO TO Young and Old OR The Young Man's REMEMBRANCER AND The Old Man's MONITOR By that Eminent and Judicious Divine Mr. John Maynard late of Mayfield in Sussex Published by William Gearing Minister of the Gospel Quis integram vocet aetatem cui multum deest quantulum sit quod restat incertum est Petrarc de remed utr fort dial 1. LONDON Printed for Thomas Parkhurst living at the Sign of the Bible upon London Bridg. 1669. Unto the Right Worshipful SIR Thomas Wilbraham of Woodhey in the County of Chester Baronet and to the vertuous Ladies The Lady Elizabeth Wilbraham the Elder and the Lady Elizabeth Wilbraham the Younger To the Lady Meredith of Leeds in Kent ' and to Mrs. Elizabeth Baker of Mayfield in the County of Sussex William Gearing humbly Dedicateth these ensuing Treatises Entituled A Memento to Young and Old c. And Pious Fathers the Glory of Children c. To the Reader THE outward ornaments of Youth are Beauty Tallness and Strength of the Body but Grace and Wisdom are the ornaments of the Soul and Mind But Beauty without Grace is but like a fair sign that hangeth at the door of a foul house and Witt without Grace is but like meat that tasteth sweet in the mouth and breedeth ill blood in the Veins and bodily strength and comliness of Stature without Grace it is but like so much Moss upon the body of a Tree when there is no fruit upon the boughs Absalom had a fair body and a defiled Conscience St. Augustin receiving a witty Epistle from Licentius a young Noble Man and perceiving he had abused it too loosely returneth this answer to him If thou hadst found a Golden Cup wouldst thou not have given it to some Publick use God hath given thee a Golden Witt a Soul of Gold and yet thou usest it an Instrument of Sensuality take heed of making it a vessel of abomination and of presenting thy Soul as a Sacrifice to Satan Diabolus cupit a te ornari the Devil desireth to make thee an ornament to him and thy witt and parts the credit of his Court and Cause Young Men many times have sharp Witts but as the fire in green wood is smothered by the vapours that it cannot shine brightly so holy Wisdom in youth is often smothered by Temptations and Concupisences Naturalists say That the Butterfly spendeth the most part of her Life in painting of her Wings so do many young men in guilding of their Brains Youth is as the Hebrew word signifieth the choice age of a Mans Life and a young Man is called a choice or chosen one 1. Because a Young man was rather chosen than an Old chosen to most employments of action and Youth is the time which a man would chose to live in 2. Because youth is a time wherein a Man is to chuse what course to take and it is the choicest time for the service of God Remember thy Creatour in the daies of thy youth or of thy choice saith Solomon That is in such daies as either thou wouldest chuse or else such daies wherein thou art best able to make thy choice then are we called upon to remember God Take it in that double variation 1. In such daies as a man would chuse whilst things yet go well with him before the evil daies come c. Flourishing Youth and true Devotion are seldom companions Youth unless sanctified is full of vanity serious in trifles and trifling in serious things Or 2. In such dayes as we are yet able to make our choice Death bed Devotion proveth but little worth then do we rather dream of God than indeed do remember him Good reason it is that the Young Man should remember his Creatous 1. Because uncertain of the future of his own life uncertain whether he shall ever live to old age a Soul should not be hazarded upon such uncertainties 2. Because the young man commonly forgetteth God is most tempted by Satan most violently hurried away with Passions Youth is full of folly falsehood frowardness of high conceits of their own worth and sufficiency full of inordinate and excessive love of liberty full of wantonness it is carried with strong affections upon weak grounds it is stubborn impatient of counsels and just reproofs Jerem. 31. 18 19. It is given to Prodigallity Luke 15. 12 13. It is impudent and shameless addicted to sensuality It is the Emblem of a Young Man to have a wing on one Arm as if he had a desire to fly up to Heaven but a clog on the other arm to shew how the vanities and pleasures of the World do clog his desires of Heaven 3. Or it may be Young Menare called upon to remember God because riper age is furnished with most abilities a strong body a pliable mind a riper judgment affections free Religion is not of so easie a performance but it will ask a man his best Or 4. it may be what is gotten in Youth sticks fastest by us as a Vessel retaineth a long time that odour whereâ—with at first it was seasoned God's service should never be given over and therefore learned betimes Nebuchadnezzar would have young Men stand before him the King of Heaven much more Thy Creatour will not highly value thee unless thou hast been bred up in his presence even from thy youth It is a most commendable thing for Young Men to be couragious and resolute in resisting Sin Some Heathens and Infidels have been not able in this kind Sâ— Augustin bringeth in Polemon thus speaking concerning himself I was an Infidel a young Man deprived of the Knowledg of the True God resigned over to all sorts of Intemperance Wine Love Play Rashness were the Chariot which drew my Youth to downfal I was no sooner entred into the School of an Heathen Philosopher But behâ—ld I was wholly changed He upon the Words of a man layeth down his flowery Crowns which he bare on his head his Riots and Drunkenness How unseemly then is it for Young Men that are called Christians to go on in Riot and Wantonness after so many enlightnings so many forcible instructions and so many powerful convictions and inspirations St. Ambrose likewise brings in one Spurinâ— thus speaking I was a Gentile saith she bred in the corruption of an age where vertue was declining and vice on the top of the Wheel I was endowed with an excellent Beauty which by right of natural force gave me the key of Hearts and I seeing it was too much affected courted by wanton eyes and served for a stumbling-block to chastity I purposely made scars in my face extinguishing with my Blood the flames of those that sought me for I loved better to seal my innocence as with the seal of voluntary deformity than to possess a Beauty that served only as a bait for anothers Lust. How may this give a check to the vanity of those women among us who in their youth paint themselves
the heart is in the liveliest temper then the spirits are freshest and quickest and natural cheerfulness being Sanctified is a furtherance of spiritual joy The quickness of the natural temper which is in youth most vigorous is a good servant to quickning grace Think not that God is best pleased with the lumpish old age which many times is little more than a dead piece of Earth with a little portion a small remainder of life abiding in it God is the living God and he requireth living Sacrifices Rom. 12. 1. Now thy youth hath more life in it than thine old age There is as it were a close union between the Soul and Body in youth The Soul imparteth a more plentiful â—nfluence of Life unto the Body in youâ—h than â—n old age by the quickness and plenty of the Spirits which in youth are more abundent than in age Give up therefore this most living part of thy life thy young daies unto God and not only that part of life which partaketh more of Death than of life thâ—ne old decrepit and disabled age The hoary head is a Crown of Glory if it be found in a way of Righteousness Prov. 16. 31. Found He doth not say if it enter into the way of Righteousness but if it be Found there If a Man hath turned to God in his youth and persevered in upright walking before him until gray haires come upon him that Man needeth no Crown of Gold to adorn his head his hoary head is a Crown of Glory to him If under the Law a Man did burn the prime of his Beast in Sacrifice it was accepted yea when it was almost consumed even the remainders that were half burnt did yield a sweet savour to the Lord because the best was burnt also upon the Altar of the Lord. So let a Man consecrate the prime of his daies his youth to the Lord offer up this as a living Sacrifice and then even his worn old age which is like a Sacrifice half burnt and spent shall be exceeding sweet and pleasing to the Lord because the best was given up unto him whereas on the other side should any of the Priests have burned a Sacrifice upon the Altar of Baal and then when it was half burnt should have brought the gleanings and laid them upon the Altar of the Lord this would have been a grievous abomination in the sight of the Lord. So in this case c. Oh then Remember thy Creatour in thy youth lest he forget or despise thee in thine age Remember him in thy youth that thy hoar head may be found in the way of Righteousness and so may be a Crown of Glory and not a Spectacle of Reproach and Contempt unto thee 3. Consider especially the unspeakable danger of Sin confirmed and rooted with time wrought and wreathed into the heart and clasped in the affections by long custom in sin Oh when sin hath been thirty or forty years in growing and taking root it cleaveth like the skin to the bones like the Leprosy that was rooted in a wall which could not be taken away untill the wall were pulled down That sin which is in growing the whole time of a Mans youth during the best of his strength it is even a Wonder if it doth not accompany that Man to his Death-bed yea to the Judgment-seat of God I know the mercy of God is infinite and he calleth at the Eleventh hour but I am perswaded those are very few which are so called and especially very few if any of those who have had the means of Grace in their youth and regarded them not Oh this willful hardning of the heart is dreadful This continuing in sin against knowledge this with-holding the truth in unrighteousness moveth the Lord to give men over to a Reprobate sence Rom. 1. 21 24 25 28. Into such a state that he becometh uncapable unteachable that neither blessings nor crosses neither the Rod nor the Word neither sickness nor health neither gray haris nor the approach of Death can work him to to sound Conversion Ah poor forsaken Soul such a one may come to say with Saul God hath forsaken me A speech that might rend a render heart to hear it I speak not this to bring you to despair but to stirr you up to speedy Repentance that ye may prevent this desperate and woful condition CHAP. I. IN the last place let me speak a few words to Parents and old People 1. To Parents Ye that are Parents labour ye to season the very Child-hood of your Sons and Daughters with the true knowledg and fear of God pray over them daily instruct exhort rebuke and use all good means that the prime of their daies may be given up to God Teach them to Remember their Creatour in their Childhood that they may neither forget him in their youth nor forsake him in their old age I fear that most Parents among us by neglecting their Duty herein are guilty of their Childrens Destruction 2. To the Aged Ye that are grown old and have not remembred your Creatour in your younger daies whose bones are full of the sins of your youth Oh know that your case is exceeding dangerous therefore bewaile your lives whereby ye have so much dishonoured your Maker humble and judge your selves in the bitterness of your Souls cry continually and importunately in the ears of the Lord that if it be possible the sins of your youth and the long continued wickedness of your Lives may be forgiven you that the often resistance which ye have made against the spirit of God may be pardoned if it be possible that the frequent casting of the Word of God behind thy back may be forgiven Oh how odious and contemptible is the hoary head found in the way of wickedness in a state of impenitency What is an old Drunkard or Adulterer a gray-headed Swearer an old Covetous Worldling an hoary headed impenitent person but even a monster among Men What dost thou not yet remember thy Creatour not in old age not at fifty at sixty or seventy years Oh wreched security Awake awake unto Righteousness unto Repentance ye old ones that sleep in sin lest ye sleep the sleep of everlasting Death and never behold the face of God in Righteousness SERMON III. Eccles. 12. 1. Remember now thy Creatour in the daies of thy Youth c. CHAP. I. BEsides what hath been already observed something yet may be further noted Viz. Observ. That Grace and Holiness are exceeding fit and no way unseemly for the younger sort Man's Life hath in some regards been compared to a Comedy or Enterlude Acted upon the Theatre or Sage of this World and the truth is many a Mans life is but a Play and many in their courses do but act other mens parts not in sincerity express their own inward dispositions And therefore that decorum which they suppose may grace them in the eyes of Men is the thing they most of all affect and aim
6. God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. The Sun-beams do as it were guild things whereon it shineth and make them look bright and pleasant whereas they looked dull before without any such lustre or comeliness This Heavenly Knowledge is a shining knowledge it brightâ— ens and beautifies the Mind and Soul and the more fresh and nimble the witt and understanding is the more it is adorned by it no skill no knowledge no learning is so comly for a young Man as this true saving knowledge of God in Christ. II. Hath the young man some strength of memory what can become this Treasury or Store-house so well as Gold Silver Pretious-Stones as the Apostle calleth holy Truths what should hay and stubble trash and dirt do in so pretious a Cabinet what is more unseemly than to have it filled with wanton idle Songs with scurrilous jests with airy vain conceits foolish ballaâ—s legendary tales or the like that which is fit for the Dung-hil is not seemly for a Cabinet III. Is youth full of lively and stirring affections what is more seemly than for the quickest affections and for the most lively motions of the Heart and Spirit to be exercised about Heavenly and Spiritual things The World is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of its comliness which God gave it in the Creation Now God hath thus ordered the World in its several parts that the quickest and nimblest should be highest in their rank and the slowest and dullest should be lowest So the Heavens which are of a most strange and wonderful swiftness are highest and of other things the quickest in motion are nearest Heaven so the Air and in the Air the Birds whereas the Earth being slow and without Motion lyeth below all the rest and is farthest from Heaven So what is more seemly than for those winged affections of young Men and Women to mount up to Heaven and the quicker and swifter they are in their Motions the higher it becometh them to fly what should they do creeping on the Earth like Snailes or earthing themselves in the Earth like Moles or mudding these lively affections in sinful fleshly pleasures Why rather should they not in their daies of youth cast their Souls upon the wing earnestly desiring God to draw them that they may run after him Is it a seemly thing to see a Lark or an Eagle to make her self a burrow or nest under ground or to plunge her self in the Mud No it becometh her to be aloft so it becometh not the winged affections of the younger sort to bemudd themselves with sinful pleasures but to be lifted up in the power of Gods Spirit and to converse with him who is invisible The dullness of age hath more affinity with Earth than the vigour of youth which yet must not perswade old Men to follow the inclination of age and because their backs are bowed with years to think themselves warranted to debase their Souls to earthly affections but rather to conceive themselves directed to look themselves out a burying place entring into a serious Meditation of the Grave whiles their bodies by the decaies of age are daily preparing for their last dissolution into those first earthly Principles of which they were compounded IV. And as the quickness of young Mens affections should thus set them in a course of holiness so the quickness of their Spirits which is one cause of the quickness of their affections doth exceeding well suit with true grace and holiness The Activity and as the Country-word is the Mettle that is in the younger sort is very suitable to an holy Conversation This is one thing which maketh many men falsely to think that Religion is not seemly for youth but these are such as know not the power of godliness and therefore think it to be a lumpish dulling thing But what blindness is this to imagine that the blessed Spirit of God is a duller to the Spirit of a Man when he worketh upon it by his sanctifying power and vertue No it is enough indeed to put life into a dead heart when the blessed Spirit affordeth his gracious Influence unto it If the Sun doth dull and dead the Earth the Trees the Herbs in the Spring-time then may ye imagine that the Spirit of God doth dull the Spirits of Men by Sanctifying and Quickening them It taketh away indeed their wildness and madness that is to say their untowardness unseemliness and uncomeliness but it rather encreaseth and purifieth their kindly vigour and giveth them yet a greater and an higher life and maketh them more lively than before but with a sweet spiritual and heavenly kind of Life It is true that in the beginnings of grace there is some drooping and dejectedness but that is but in the turn when they are coming out of their natural estate from under the Curse and Wrath of God But if once they be indeed set in a course of holiness and find the comfort of Gods love in Christ they shall find themselves more enlivened and quickened by the Spirit of God than they can be by nature only Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty saith the Apostle The Spirit of Christ enlargeth the heart striketh off the fetters of Corruptions and maketh it more free and full of Life Therefore David often calleth upon God to quicken him He was a man naturally of a quick temper of a fresh lively Spirit as appeareth by that Description given of him 1 Sam. 16. 12. He was ruddy and withal of a beautiful countenance and goodly to look to But he knew that grace would quicken him more and give him a heavenly activity of Spirit and therefore desired to be more and more quickened by it And how can the vigour and quickness of youth be better imployed than in the work and service of God Is not the Service of God a race And who are so fit to run as those who are young and of nimble Spirits Let us run with patience the race that is set before us and else-where so run that ye may obtain Which as it implyeth a winged swiftness and quickness of stirring affections in the service of God so also a ready diligence and active chearfullness in any work of his to which the heaviness of old age is a clogging hinderance and which doth exceeding well become the liveliness of youthful Spirits V. Are young Men strong and of able Bodies What is more comely for them than to serve the Lord with all their Strength The weakness of the Body doth even make the Spirit fail and faint and hindereth it many times in the Service of God Strength is an help in the worship of God and the Spirit in a strong Body is like a work-man standing upon firm ground which is an help and furtherance in the work VI.
unseemly for those of the younger sort it layeth open the shame of their folly and when they think highly of their own witts and perhaps scorn the advice of their Auncients they make it known to the World that through the greatness of their folly they know not themselves nor their places aright nor what becometh them Idleness and Vanity are most unseemly for them the loss of these precious daies of youth to sleep away these best daies or to triffle them away whiles the Sun shineth upon them it is most unseemly Finally to live in impenitency and security not to seek the love and favour of God in Christ to put off Repentance till old Age is most unseemly and uncomely To sleep all the day and put off a man's main business until night is most foolish and uncomely Conversion to God it is thy main work and the beginning of all the work and service which thou doest for him that made thee and gave thee thy life and continueth it to thee every hour Thou dost never truly put thy self into his Service until thou art truly converted and turned unto him All that thou dost in the Worship of God before is no true Service no work of a faithful Servant acceptable unto God therefore to give him that gave thee all thy daies no part of these best daies of youth to give him that gave thee all thy strength no part of thy strength to give him that gave thee all thy witt and understanding nothing but the ruines and decays of witt memory and understanding in old age or sickness is most unseemly and such as cannot any way become any one that would be called a Christian especially if thou considerest that when thou deniest thy best time to God he may justly deny thee the rest of thy time which thou hopest to enjoy and cut thee off in thy sins CHAP. IV. Vse 2. THis should teach Parents and Masters that have any of the younger sort under their charge to be very careful and diligent to teach them what doth most of all become them even the fear of God and Faith unfeigned Instead of teaching them vain fashions which they are too apt to learn of them to teach them that it will best become them not to fashion themselves according to this evil world but to be transformed in the renewing of their mind to teach them that the words of heavenly wisdome the word of God laid up in the heart and shewed forth in the life will be their richest ornament Let them know how well Humility Modesty Temperance Chastity Sobriety Holiness and the knowledge of God will become them Let them not only be taught how good these things are but how seasonable how fit they are how seemly for them at those years how necessary Let them understand how ill it becometh them at this age to want these Jewels and what deformity the contrary sins do put upon them As it becometh them of younger years to be thus qualified so it becometh you that are elder by all means both in word and conversation to shew them what becometh them CHAP. IV. Use 3. IF Grace and Holiness are comely ornaments of Youth then how unseemly is it for those that have passed the daies of Youth to continue yet without it hast thou out-lived thy Youth and hast thou not yet done that which thou shouldest have done in thy Youth Not yet so remembred thy Creator as to turn unto him and to seek him with thy whole heart Oh blame thy self for this before the Lord and if thou hast lost the first season take heed thou doest not foreslow the latter Art thou now past the Spring of Youth It is more than time thou hadst sown in Tears The Harvest draweth on and then as a man hath sowen so shall he reap He that hath sowen to the Flesh following his lusts and his will shall of the flesh reap corruption but He that soweth to the Spirit being led by the Spirit in the wayes of holy obedience shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Think then with thy self if it be a shame for young men to be without Grace it is a double shame for me that am past the daies of Youth Iâ— God hath shewed thee patience in not cutting thee off in the sins of Youth oh take heeâ— of abusing that patience any longer Wilt thou sin because thou hast escaped hithertoâ— God forbid The longer thou hast sinned the more hast thou provoked the eyes of Gods glory the more dangerous is it to continue any longer in sin The longer the Fig-tree had cumbred the ground the neareâ—â— it was to the cutting down the more it was in danger of the Axe Therefore repent heartily and speedily of the sins of Youth and yet whiles thou maist do somewhat for the Lord hast some strength and abilities for his service let him have thy heart and hand thy body thy soul sacrifice thy self to him consecrate thy whole man to his worship and service even in thy middle-age CHAP. V. Use 4. IF Grace be the ornament of Youth then doubtless Sin must be the shame of Old Age. What an old man an old woman and yet a graceless sinner A gray-head found in the ways of unrighteousness the ways of folly What is this but to be a spectacle of reproach among men How many years hast thou lived an enemy to God Couldest thou find no time for reconciliation in thy Youth nor in thy middle age nor yet now thou art thus far gone in years What is an impenitent old man but a kind of monster among men What a shame is it to see a gray-head quaffing by the fire-side in an Ale-house a man of fifty or sixty years haunting the Ase-house and wanton dallyance A profane Oath in an old mans mouth how odious and shamefull is it Is it not a double shame for old men to be more and more covetous the elder they are to cleave more and more close to the world As one that is to be executed if he hath his hands at liberty when he is turned off the Ladder will catch hold again and cling fast unto it being loth to let go his hold so such a one being summoned by death to leave the world catcheth hold again fastening his very heart unto it and cleaving more strongly and more closely thereunto How much better were it to have loosened the heart from the world by unfeigned repentance that the world and it may part with ease For part ye must though thy heart should be pulled in pieces in parting How ill doth it become an old man that all this while he hath not learned to see into the vanity of the world which a wise man in a little time of experience may easily discern O thou old sinner learn greatly then to bewail the sins of thy Youth that length of time wherein thou hast gone on in sin wherein thou hast hardened thy heart and resisted the spirit of God
and now be very earnest with the Father of mercies to pass by the multitudes of thy sins whch in these many years of thy life thou hast made thy self and others guilty of CHAP. VI. Use 5. LAstly yea that are young let this enter into yovr hearts and be ye perswaded that nothing doth so well fit you nothing so well become your years as to remember your Creator as to know to love to fear to serve and obey him that made you Now is the Spring now is the time of sowing in tears even in your Youth and if ye sow so ye shall in Youth reap the first fruits of comfort Now is the day and therefore work now the night cometh darkness cometh yea the night of spiritual darkness and blindness of mind may come a dreadfull gloomy night may shade your Souls the spirit of God withdrawing his light against which you have so long sinned in the pride of Youth and Satan drawing a black vail over your Souls then there is a woful night within the night of an hardened heart that cannot repent and of a â—eared conscience and a reprobate sense may come when none can rightly work the works of God Oh then what an extreme folly is it for you now to sleep in Sin whiles it is day and whiles mercy is offered and the way of life is shewed and the works which God hath ordained for his people to walk in are laid before you Now then it becometh you to flee youthfull lusts and not to stay till they flee you Now learn to hate all sin and especially the sins to which your age enclineth you even as Death as Hell Do not think that the sins of Youth will become you because Youth is enclinable to them but rather think they are so much the more unseemly because nature corrupted enclineth Youth unto them Sin is so contray unto that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and right order of things whch God hath made that it enclineth men to those things whch are most unseemly for them And this must needs be so for Sin is most contrary unto God now God by his work enclineth every Creature to that which becometh it and so by his work upon man in the Creation he did frame in him a propension and inclination to that which did every way become him best Now Sin being quite contrary unto God and seizing upon man's nature did so corrupt it as to encline it to that which is most unseemly for it So man in general is enclined to earthly to bodily and sensible things sutable to the body and to neglect heavenly and spiritual things which are sutable to his Soul and inner man which considering the nature and creation of man is most absurd and unseemly as if a man should be more carefull of his foot than of his Head What comparison is there between the Soul and the Body Is not that of far greater excellency than this How unseemly a thing is it to seek the satisfying and contenting of the body rather than of the spiritual and better part of a man's self So Sin enclineth old men in age to become more earthly and covetous than before Now this is most unseemly So the Heathen could observe counting it as foolish and absurd for an old man to grow more covetous and eager after the world as for a Traveller to provide himself so much the more carefully for his Journey the nearer he cometh to his Inne or Journey 's end Were it not an unseemly folly when a man is even at home and seeth the smoak of his own Chimney to seek about carefully for a fresh Horse and other necessaries fit for a Journey of many hundred miles So what more foolish and unseemly than for an old man travelling to his last home to be the more carefull of earthly things the nearer he cometh to his grave which are useful to him only by the way And as sin enclineth old age to that whch is most unseemly so also it doth younger years Oh do not think these things seemly for thee to which Nature corrupted by sin enclineth thee no more than that is wholsome for a sick man to which his Stomach vitiated by a disease doth move him Esteem Grace of all things to be the richest ornament put on Christ Jesus that thou maist partake of the beauty of his Grace and Spirit who is the fairest of ten thousand that thou maist be one of those in whom God himself through Christ Jesus is delighted SERMON IV. Eccles. 12. 1. In the daies of thy youth CHAP. I. IN the next place we may observe under what terms the daies of Old Age are opposed to the daies of Youth it is under the notion of evil daies They are opposed to the daies of Youth as evil to good therefore hence I observe Obs. That the daies of Youth are good daies So the opposition teacheth us to inferr for they are such daies as men enjoy while the evil daies come nor The Hebrews call young men by such a name as imployeth choice and a young man in that Language is as much as a chosen or selected man a man picked out of the multitude for special use and so the time of Youth is expressed as a chosen selected time So in this very place for as he had said before Eccles. 11. 9. Rejoyce O young man Or O thou chosen selected one So here Remember thy Creator in the daies of thy Youth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or thy choicest daies So that ye see the ordinary expression used in primitive significant Tongue which is as it were the fountain of all Languages noteth out of time of Youth unto us as a good yea as a choice selected time So much I think the Psalmist implyeth too Psal. 71. 17 18. O God thou hast taught me from my youth and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works Now also when I am old and gray-headed O God forsake me not c where he seemeth to set the daies of Old Age against the daies of Youth as evil against good O thou hast taught me from my Youth Thou hast vouchsafed me thy presence thy Spirit to teach and guide me in those good and pleasant daies of Youth those good daies when I in confidence of thy presence and assistance encountred the Bear and Lion and rescued my Lambs Tâ—ose daies when I assaulted the Philistine took away the reproach from Israel Those daies when with a lively and ravished Spirit I leaped and daunced before the Ark But now the evil daies of Old Age the winter of my life is growing upon me the times are coming when I shall see no pleasure in them when Clothes shall scarce suffice to warm me and therefore now O my God! forsake me not withdraw not thy presence now in special I find need of thee that thou maist make those daies good unto me through thy love and Spirit which otherwise sin would make exceeding evil and wofull
to me CHAP. II. WHerefore that this may be made more clear unto us let us consider how and in what respects the daies of Youth are called good daies They are good daies 1. Because they are the first daies of a man's life Childhood is but as it were a preparative to the life of man Children while they are Children have but some imperfect beginnings of the life of reason which is the proper and peculiar life of man therefore we may reckon the daies of Youth as the first daies of man's life when he first beginneth to live as a man and to live the life of reason in some degree of perfection Now ye know that the first in every kind hath the preheminence the first-born of men the firstlings of beasts the first-fruits of the earth the morning of the day the first age of the world the spring of the year So there is a kind of preheminency in the first daies of man's life which are the daies of Youth they are a man's prime and his good daies 2. The daies of Youth are good daies because ordinarily they are the daies of best health and strength daies wherein we are of able bodies for any special service For although it be true that in the worship of God bodily exercise profiteth but little in comparison of the inward power of godliness yet strength and health when they are made serviceable to a sanctified upright heart are of special use both in the immediate worship of God and in the performance of many offices of love which we ought to do towards our Brethren in the Lord. Mens sana in corpore sano as they say a sound mind and an heavenly spirit furthered in the worship and service of God by a strong healthy well-tempered body hath a great advantage in it's work and in that case the daies of health and strength are good daies In Prayer although the strength and force of Prayer doth not lie in the strength of the sides or loudnes of the voice yet it is no smal advantage to the Spirit when in it's fervour and strength of affection it gathereth up and putteth forth all it's powers in earnest supplication before the throne of Grace if then it hath a sound healthy body able to bear the intention of a fervent spirit without fainting or distraction You know that if the arrow be long and drawn to the head it is needfull that the bow and the string should be of sufficient strength to hold drawing And a Christian that will not content himself to shoot those fools bolts mentioned Eccles. 5. 1. but desireth to send forth winged shafts of fervent Prayer that shall pierce the Clouds and enter the Heavens findeth it an help not to be despised when the strength and health of his body is suitable to the vigour of his spirit This holdeth as ye may easily conceive in those exercises of hearing reading meditation c. 3. Daies of Youth are times wherein the powers of the Soul are also quick lively and able by the communion with the body The Soul by reason of it's near conjunction of the body hath it's Childhood Youth and decaying time In younger years it hath those golden daies wherein the understanding is quick in apprehension teachable and apt to receive impression the Memory faithfull the Judgement good and sound the Affections strong and stirring Therefore these are the good daies wherein it is fit to be used in the work and service of God And as in the Spring all these concurring together the Trees in their fresh clothing the face of the Earth renued the beauty of Herbs and Flowers together with the Sun 's shining brightly in his strength and glory make up good daies whereas in the Winter the brightness of the Sun maketh but an imperfect good day whiles the Trees and Fields are stripped dead and withered the ground covered with mire and dirt so the meeting of these together the birth-right of Youth the strength and health of the Body the quickness of the Senses the activeness and abundance of the Spirits the perfections of the Soul c. make the daies of Youth good daies whereas although in the winter of Old Age the Sun may shine the principles of wisdome stored up in Youth may be preserved yet there are those defects naturally clogging that dying age which do ecclipse the brightness and lessen the goodness of those daies CHAP. III. Use â— THis may serve to reprove those who do allow some fleshly liberty to the daies of Youth Many who themselves are aged out of a kind of fatherly experienced gravity as they would have men think and out of a kind of moderation to which their years have brought them as they will have us believe do give liberty to a kind of latitude in the ways of Youth and young men must be born with Who doubteth but that there is a Christian moderation and compassion to be exercised towards such infirmities of the flesh which the Spirit wrestleth and laboureth against either in young or old when the heart being given up to Christ and brought under the soveraign command of his glorious Gospel and blessed Spirit cannot yet wholly free it self from the law of Rebellion nor utterly shake off the body of Death But out of a pretence of levity to flatter the enormities of Youth and to excuse those vitious unbridled courses which stain the glory of those best daies what is it but to say that hard Frosts deep Snows Inundations thick mire and dirt are not to be accounted strange in May nor to be wondered at in the prime and spring of the year Is it to be endured when the best daies of a man's life are wasted away in such courses as are contrary to the end for which a man liveth most contrary to the glory of that great God who hath given them these choice daies of Youth To speak plainly when are you more carefull to fence your Copses Pastures Meadows than in the Spring and will ye say the spring of our life which is the time of Youth may be laid open to the invasion of lusts to the assaults of Satan to the pleasures of Sin Let other men applaud their own gravity and condemn the rashness of others I cannot believe that Solomon wanted either years gravity wisdome or due moderation when he checked the folly of Youth in an holy Irony Eccles. 11. and setteth before all vain young men the Judgement of the great day shewing that for all these things even these excesses of Youth they shall be made to give account nor when he did put down this serious admonition in the words of this Text backed with so many pressing motives Remember now thy Creator in the daies of thy youth while the evil daies come not c. and had there been any defect in the pen-man yet I am sure the Holy Ghost which held his hand would not have suffered him to write one syllable amiss Neither
acknowledgeth We our Kings our Princes our Fathers and all Israel have sinned CHAP. XI GReat are the benefits which may redound to Children sincerely confessing the iniquities of their Fathers as well as their own sins The Promise is made Levit. 26. 40 41 42. If they shall confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their Fathers with their trespass which they have trespassed against me and that also they have walked contrary to me and that I have also walked contrary to them c. Then will I remember my Covenant with Jacob and also my Covenant with Isaac and also my Covenant with Abraham will I remember and I will remember the Land 1. Sometime it procureth and obtaineth a delay and putting off the pouring forth the wrath of God upon a Family Person or Nation God oftentimes delayeth the punishments not remitting the sins As upon Ahab's humiliation he delayed the punishment but did not remit the sins of him and his house yet for his humiliation the punishment should be prorogued to his Son's daies 2 Reg. 21. 29. Upon Moses his humiliation for Israels murmuring he remitted the execution of his wrath but remitted not their sin Numb 14. 18. ad 23. We have a clear Instance for this in Josiah who humbled himself for the iniquities of his Fathers and the sins of Israel and the Lord put off the execution of his wrath till he was laid in his grave 2 Chron. 34. 21 24 ad 28. Perhaps the second generation may die in peace or it may be the third and the fourth generation shall bear the iniquities of their Fathers it is no small mercy that wrath breaks not in upon the first generation 2. If it doth not keep off and procure delay of execution but wrath from the Lord breaks in upon uâ— yet it may mitigate the wrath of God so that God though justly he might yet proceeds not to a final devastation of Persons Families and Kingdoms but a remnant may and shall escape Jerem. 39. 16 17 18. Thus God bids Jeremy tell Ebed-melech the Ethiopian that though he would bring his words upon the City of Jerusalem for evil yet say thou to him I will surely deliver thee and thou shalt not fall by the Sword but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee because thou hast put thy trust in me saith the Lord. And that God made them not as Sodom and Gomorrha but left a remnant Ezra acknowledgeth in his confession Ezra 9. 8. And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the Lord our God to leave us a remnant to escape and to give us a nail in his holy place that our God may lighten our eyes and give us a little reviving in our bondage When people are generally stubborn and wicked God sometimes makes a full end of them when their determinate day of visitation is come upon them he overthrows Families as he overthrew Sodom and Gomorrha cutting down root and branch and casting them into the fire 3. Sometimes it procureth a shortening of the day of visitation God will not lengthen out their judgement will not as justly he might spin out their time of calamity For mine elects sake these dayes of calamity shall be shortened The day of Jerusalem's calamity should be shortened for his elâ—ct which were in it 4. If God yet visit the iniquities of our Fathers upon us he will change the nature of our punishments though they be to the destruction of our estates and bodies yet they shall be to the Salvation of our Souls in the day of the Lord Jesus he will inflict them upon us as trials and fatherly chastisements doing us good in the latter end though in relation to the iniquities of our Fathers they be sore punishments Moreover we ought to be humbled for the sins of our Fathers because God was dishonoured by them Nehemiah was ashamed and confounded for his Fathers sins as well as his own That God was dishonoured in former years grieveth a godly heart as well as in present times Besides the sins of our Fathers are reproaches to us That men should say of such a man his Father before him was a drunkard an oppressour an idolater so was his Grand-Father his Great-Grand-Father before him this is a reproach unto the Family the best way to wipe off the reproach is for the posterity to mourn for their Fathers sins the godliness of Children will be some covering to their Fathers nakedness But if our Fathers greatly provoked the Lord and we are not humbled for their sins but walk in the steps of our evil Progenitors then hear what the Lord saith to such Isai. 14. 20 21 22. The seed of evil doers shall never be renowned prepare slaughter for his Children for the iniquity of their Fathers that they do not rise nor possess the Land nor fill the face of the world with Cities for I will rise up against them saith the Lord of Hosts and cut off from Babylon the Name and Remnant and Son and Nephew saith the Lord. FINIS August Epist. ad Licent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Augustin saith of this Non humanâ— operi tribuerim sed divino Epist. 130. Cassian Instit Lib. 5. ca. 32. Cyprian de â—apsis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Kings Chap. 9. Diis Parentibus nunquam satis fit Aristot. Gregor Epist lib. 1. Bâ—nis suis aliis praeparat beatitudinom sibi miseriam aliis gaudia sibi lachrymas aliis voluptatem brevem sibi ignem perpetuum Salvian Let thy little Children keep thee from sin said the Poet Juvenal Martyr in 2 Reg. cap. 2. Bolton's Direct p. 19. Woodw Child's Patrim Agust Serm. 33. ad Fratres in Eremo